In the field of computer graphics and computer graphics rendering software, it is often desirable to apply a texture to a graphical image of a digitally-rendered object. Such functionality is often referred to as “texture mapping” or “texturing,” and numerous software tools for performing this function are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
As a general proposition, it is more difficult to map a photo-realistic texture to an object whose surface geometry and topology is complex than to an object whose surface is comparatively simple, for example, essentially planar. The measure of this complexity increases as the desired degree of photorealism increases.
The generation of a texture map for a graphical image is complicated further when the surface to be mapped includes such features as underfolds, where the continuous surface folds beneath and partially obscures itself, and discontinuities. Examples of surfaces which have such features include clothing and upholstery.